i do this all the time with a deadpan expression after the first try to be helpful and empathetic. too many ssvs letting baristas get walked over and at my store i’m the first ssv they call when they have a difficult customer. don’t know why sbux is any different from other places, it’s just glorified coffee.

I get way too much enjoyment out of giving a deadpan “thank you for your patience” to someone having a tantrum and yelling at me.

I fully agree! In a busy cafe with tons of other people waiting for beverages, how do they think they look to their peers? I always make sure I treat the customers with respect but I will point out their rude behavior to embarrass them if I feel they deserve it.

“Hey Michael! Unfortunately we are about 20 minutes behind on beverages right now but we will call out your order when it’s ready! If that doesn’t work for you, I can have my register partner process a refund for you.”

At that point, I have provided the customer with two reasonable options: a.) wait their turn for their beverage or b.) get a refund because they don’t have time. If I say that loudly, the customer knows that their peers are aware of the options that are available to them and will take that into consideration when speaking to myself and my fellow partners.

Yesterday we absolutely slammed for no reason. Wait times were roughly 15-20 minutes, and we were telling people before they ordered. This group of grouchy old men ordered like 6 drinks and kept bitching about the wait time. And then kept making fun of me & the other barista on bar. One of my shifts was there on her day off and told them to “take one big look around the room and think about why it was so busy”….there were 60-70 people squeezed in the cafe, dt line was out in the road. i have no idea how i kept wait times at 15 minutes when all of the orders i was getting were big

I totally agree, there's this old man whose such an entitled asshole that comes to my store. I've seen him go off at my coworkers before, and watch them politely deal with the guy while he just continues berating them.

The other day I had my first one-on-one interaction with the guy. He was totally nice when he ordered, got a coffee and a panini. At the time I was flexing between front register and warming, there were two groups of people in line behind him so I wasn't able to immediately put his food in the oven.

Anyway like 5 minutes went by, and I was still helping other customers and he comes over and starts screaming about his panini as I'm in the middle of taking a family's order. I glared at him and said, "Sir I have other customers I'll get to you when I get to you." And then he demands I heat up the panini because its been sitting there a half hour. At that point I couldn't help chuckling at him, and told him, "You ordered five minutes ago". It worked perfect too, he looked totally defeated and stomped back to his table and waited for his food like everyone else.

I don't mind being apologetic when myself or someone else has actually made a mistake or when I see a situation where I know I'd be upset if I were in the customer's shoes. But I won't pander to someone just because they're a miserable person. With people like that it's best to be blunt, I think they're so used to getting their way that it throws them off when people don't give into it.

I do this!!

I’ve rejoined Starbucks after a couple years away. I remember lots of things but definitely had to warm up to a few processes.
A regular from one of my old locations came through drive through. She never reloads her card in the app by herself. Everyday she places a large order and then asks the person on the window to reload her card. I needed a couple tries to find the right button and I said to her “bear with me” and she starts yelling. Every time she comes to Starbucks there’s a huge line she does not have time for this she needs to get these kids to school come on now and just throws her tantrum. She has like middle school/high school kids in the car angling to look at me. (which is such an awkward feeling to me- when passengers are silent and staring you down.)
Anyway, I didn’t care. I didn’t apologize. Didn’t acknowledge her. Just figured out the buttons and went through with the purchase. By the time it was over she was very polite and couldn’t stop saying please and thank you and she’s been the same way since.
People are idiots. Let them be idiots. It’s only coffee it doesn’t mean anything unless you let it mean something.

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I normally don’t handle many over the top reactions to things until the other day a woman wanted a tall sugar cookie latte and was distraught over the price saying she didn’t pay that last time and kept making comments about how ridiculous it was while I just stood there staring back until she decided in just an almond milk latte. Sorry Karen I don’t make the prices

We don’t feed their entitled egos. That being said, I have always taken pleasure in telling customers “no”. It’s something as Americans that we hate to hear.

Sbux is my PT job so I absolutely do not care how much of a tantrum someone throws, I will not prioritize diva behavior. “I’m making cafe drinks and mobile drinks… I make them as the ticket comes to me.”

And I don’t purposely do this but after I’ve witnessed so many tantrums my body starts just slowing down. Like I know I CAN work faster but my body says no

When people ask me where there order is I’m like everyone here is waiting w you

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